Hartoonian Spring and Autumn Awards
The Hartoonian Spring & Autumn Awards are annual contests held by Miranda Toastmasters Club in honour of long-time member and mentor, Garo Hartoonian.
This special awards recognises excellence in public speaking, with a focus on personal growth, confidence, and engagement. The contests encourages participants to showcase their improvement and speaking abilities in a competitive yet supportive environment.
Participants in the Hartoonian Spring & Autumn Awards contests present Pathways speeches that are typically 5-7 minutes long, with the content ranging from inspirational stories to humorous anecdotes or thought-provoking ideas. The aim is for speakers to demonstrate their growth and mastery of the skills they have developed through Toastmasters, such as organisation, vocal variety, and audience connection.
This special awards recognises excellence in public speaking, with a focus on personal growth, confidence, and engagement. The contests encourages participants to showcase their improvement and speaking abilities in a competitive yet supportive environment.
This special awards recognises excellence in public speaking, with a focus on personal growth, confidence, and engagement. The contests encourages participants to showcase their improvement and speaking abilities in a competitive yet supportive environment.
What is the Hartoonian Award?
The Hartoonian Award is named in honour of former long standing Miranda Toastmasters’ member, Garo Hartoonian.
Garo, a Distinguished Toastmaster, was a member of our club for 20 years. He was a very generous and friendly person who was a stickler for procedure.
He also thought it was important for members to give speeches from the TM Manuals to assist their progression through the Communication Pathway.
Sadly, the club lost Garo to cancer in 2005. Garo’s great contribution to our club is remembered through the annual Hartoonian Autumn Award and Hartoonian Spring Award. These events are a 10 speech night, giving members an opportunity to deliver a Pathways speech. Be sure to nominate for a speaking spot to progress through your manual
Participants in the Hartoonian Spring & Autumn Awards contests present Pathways speeches that are typically 5-7 minutes long, with the content ranging from inspirational stories to humorous anecdotes or thought-provoking ideas. The aim is for speakers to demonstrate their growth and mastery of the skills they have developed through Toastmasters, such as organisation, vocal variety, and audience connection.
The Hartoonian Spring & Autumn Awards are an opportunity for Miranda Toastmasters members to push themselves, celebrate their progress, and take their speaking skills to the next level, while honouring the legacy of a valued member.
Speeches in the Hartoonian Spring & Autumn Awards contests must be be a Pathways speech.
Judging criteria
Judging criteria include:
- Content: Judges assess the originality, relevance, and impact of the speech. The message should be meaningful, with a clear purpose and strong supporting points.
- Structure: The speech must be well-organised, with a logical flow from introduction to conclusion. A strong opening should grab the audience’s attention, and the conclusion should leave a lasting impression.
- Delivery: This criterion evaluates vocal variety, body language, and overall presentation. Effective use of gestures, tone, and facial expressions helps to engage the audience and enhance the message.
- Connection with the Audience: Judges look for a strong rapport between the speaker and the audience. The ability to engage and hold attention is key, whether through humour, emotion, or storytelling.
Judging forms used for the Hartoonian award are the International Speech judging forms: www.miranda-toastmasters.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/1172-international-speech-contest-ballot-ff.pdf
Timing
Contestants in the Hartoonian Spring and Autumn Awards generally speak between five to seven minutes.
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Contestants should bring a copy of the Evaluation Resources for their Pathways Speech to give to their appointed Evaluator in order to receive a written evaluation of their speech to allow them to mark the speech as complete in Pathways.
